All but signed to compete for gold next, Khamzat Chimaev has all the tools on offer to beat UFC king Dricus du Plessis. At least, that is what the prediction has been so far from every analyst the sport of MMA has to offer.
And joining this chorus is middleweight prospect Jo Pyfer. Chimaev, who has caused quite a stir in the Octagon ranks since his 2020 landing, has continued that trend for 5 years now. Improving to No.3 in middleweight, Chimaev last took down Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024 with ease. Pushing the former champion’s jaw back with a crank, the Chechen forced a tap and moved to 14-0 in his pro career.
Since then, he has been pegged by UFC CEO Dana White to compete for gold next. All signs also point to Chimaev fighting for spoils for the first time in North America this year.
Meanwhile, off the back of his second career win over Sean Strickland last month, du Plessis is also all ears to a title fight with Chimaev.
However, if you ask the incoming UFC Mexico star Joe Pyfer, DDP shouldn’t be all giddy about facing the Emirati.
In an conversation with MMA Junkie, Pyfer said, “He went out there and trashed Robert Whitaker, who was a great champion. And is still a great competitor, still out there at the top of the division, and, you know, why not give Khamzat that shot?”
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The middleweight prospect also believes that despite the evident plot armor protecting the incumbent, Chimaev can force his way through by putting a pace on the South African.
“I think if he can beat him in the first two rounds. And if he can get him down in the first two rounds, I think he would beat him,” Pyfer added of Chimaev’s chances of success.
However, despite Chimaev’s surge, du Plessis claims the former is far from the perceived “boogeyman” of the division.
DDP plays down Chimaev threat
Clearly open to Chimaev next, and then all comers to his title – du Plessis is assured he can retain his crown through the annum. The South African is in fact less than worried about coming unstuck against the forward-rolling challenger.
“People think of Khamzat as this boogeyman. That’s a fact,” du Plessis said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“I don’t. I don’t see that. For me, I only see one thing. And that’s the potential to do good to my legacy. The potential to make my legacy even better.”
It’s not difficult to see why he would think so, either. DDP himself has been calling out Strickland since the Emirati’s win over Whittaker and would have preferred fighting him to Strickland at UFC 312.
His other title defense was against the legendary former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, which allowed him to become just the second fighter to finish the City Kickboxing ace. At least, it was the case up until that point in his UFC run, to boot.
